It was a bittersweet week for Emily and the rest of us as we left the friendly confines of Charlotte, North Carolina and started our trip around the world. I can’t thank the folks of Charlotte enough for rolling out the red carpet and showing us such genuine hospitality. On behalf of the creator of the show, Mike Fleiss, I’d like to thank Bojangles for all the chicken. A final personal note from Charlotte, I’d like to throw a little love out to Bill Spoon’s BBQ for some of the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. Also, a huge shout out to the Black Keys who happened to be in town while we were shooting. That was an incredible show at Bojangles Coliseum. Who knew they were fans of The Bachelorette?

The first stop on our international tour was the island of Bermuda and Tuckers Point Resort. The resort was beautiful even though the weather didn’t exactly cooperate with us. The guys arrived via scooters to the hotel. This seemed like a good idea and for the most part it was. Only one guy crashed on his scooter and, of course, that was the professional driver Arie. Yes, Arie, who makes his living driving a race car, took out Sean on his scooter. No people were injured, but we were all saddened by the loss of one of Sean’s shoes. The guys were very good about making sure the irony of the situation wasn’t lost on any of us

Emily’s first date was with single dad Doug. I’m very interested to hear your thoughts about Doug. Is he the greatest guy to ever walk the planet, or is there more to this guy? I found it interesting that Emily drew parallels between Doug and the way Brad was with her. Saying and doing the right thing all the time isn’t always attractive. In fact, for Emily, it’s raised some red flags. There’s no doubt that Doug is a good guy and a loving father but Emily definitely needs to see more of “every-day-Doug” if this relationship is going to go any further. One big red flag for me is anybody that refers to himself in the third person. Former baseball great Rickey Henderson is the only person I know of that could pull off the third person reference and make it work. So unless you are a hall of fame athlete please don’t refer to yourself by your own name… That’s just a little piece of advice from Chris.

The group date was incredibly intense. The guys were pretty excited about going sailing but it was a wild day. You couldn’t really tell watching it on TV but the wind and weather were pretty rough. The sailing was great for someone who’s used to it but for a group of guys that don’t know port from starboard, it was a rough day. The guys didn’t worry about the weather though. They were completely focused on winning the competition, as that means more time with Emily at a very pivotal point. Losing and going home alone meant you were behind the eight ball, and probably on the chopping block at the rose ceremony. The day wasn’t just rough on the guys. Our incredible crew has to be on those boats with the guys while they’re sailing to get all those shots. The seas were rough and one of our photographers took a shot to the side so hard he cracked his ribs. I always brag about our crew being the best and working as hard as they do, but this day was especially difficult.The group date was incredibly intense. The guys were pretty excited about going sailing but it was a wild day. You couldn’t really tell watching it on TV but the wind and weather were pretty rough. The sailing was great for someone who’s used to it but for a group of guys that don’t know port from starboard, it was a rough day. The guys didn’t worry about the weather though. They were completely focused on winning the competition, as that means more time with Emily at a very pivotal point. Losing and going home alone meant you were behind the eight ball, and probably on the chopping block at the rose ceremony. The day wasn’t just rough on the guys. Our incredible crew has to be on those boats with the guys while they’re sailing to get all those shots. The seas were rough and one of our photographers took a shot to the side so hard he cracked his ribs. I always brag about our crew being the best and working as hard as they do, but this day was especially difficult.

That night Arie and Emily picked right back up where they left off from their Dollywood date. There is no question about the chemistry between them. Jef finally got to see some quality time with Emily and it went really well. It went so well she was looking for a little lovin’ on the beach from him, but he just couldn’t pull the trigger. He did get the rose but the lack of chemistry is something that Emily noticed enough to mention it to me during our deliberation. And while she has a smile on her face now if it was a big enough deal for her to bring up during our deliberation. It’s something to pay attention to.

Ryan is quickly becoming my favorite quote this season. I like to call them Ryan-isms. There is a very fine line between confidence and arrogance and he has definitely crossed that line this week. He is extremely sure of himself and feels like he’s got Emily figured out. The only problem is it’s Emily who’s got everything figured out. This week my favorite Ryan-ism was, “God designed you to be a beautiful woman, so be a beautiful woman.” With gems like that it’s hard to believe he’s still single. Nate and John are the poor boys that drew the short straw and had to go on the dreaded two-on-one date. Nate was definitely playing from behind the entire time. John already had a pretty good relationship going with Emily and Nate just didn’t have it in him to form a connection with her.

The rose ceremony was very interesting this week. Because we were in Bermuda the idea was to have a beautiful outdoor cocktail party with the rose ceremony to be held on the beach. Mother Nature unfortunately had other plans and a big storm blew in that night forcing us to quickly change plans and move the entire production into a house that wasn’t nearly big enough for us. Our crew made it work, as they always do, and when I watched it you could hardly tell how packed in we all were. It’s a good thing we did move it indoors because as soon as we started the rose ceremony the skies opened up and it poured for hours. During the cocktail party, and throughout the episode, I enjoyed listening to 33-year-old Doug and 31-year-old Ryan talk about Chris being such a “naďve young’n” like they were wise old sages. The confrontation between Chris and Doug was very interesting. Doug wasn’t having any part of it and was incredibly condescending to Chris the whole time.

I was happy to finally sit down with Emily and hold our first serious deliberation this week. My talks with her this entire season are incredibly candid and honest. One thing I realized about Emily is she may not look like it but she notices everything and remembers it all. The biggest mistake any of these guys can make is underestimating this woman.

Charlie and Michael said goodbye this week. I know what all of you were thinking when Michael got the boot…. “Who is that guy and was he on the show this entire time?” I’m not sure either, and I assure you we’re currently checking surveillance tapes to confirm his existence. Next week we’re off to jolly ol’ England. It’s an incredibly trying week as Emily was under the weather and some of the guys start to push their luck a little too far. Proper tea and “F” bombs all next week from London! Until then, chase me down on Twitter @chrisbharrison and check out our official web site www.thebachelor.tv for blogs from all your favorite citizens of Bachelor Nation.

FIREWORKS EXPLODE IN LONDON AS EMILY CONFRONTS ONE BACHELOR FOR A DISPARAGING REMARK ABOUT HER DAUGHTER AND WONDERS WHY SHE WAS THE LAST TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS MAN, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

Eight Men Put on a Show in Stratford-upon-Avon, and a Tour of City Ends with Emily and One Handsome Bachelor in a Romantic Lock-up in the Tower of London

"Episode 805" - Explosive drama underlines the group's trip to historic London. From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, Emily and Sean share the romance of the city. Shakespearian theatre will never be the same once eight men on a group date invade the Bard's birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, to perform classic scenes from "Romeo and Juliet." However, the after party turns from going to a pub for a brew to a brawl when Emily discovers that one of the men has made a disrespectful comment about her daughter, Ricki. Not only does Emily confront the offender, but she finds none of the other men support her and ends up making some stunning decisions. Jef and Emily have a proper English tea, but decide to ditch their stern etiquette teacher and escape to a local pub. Trying to put the drama about her daughter aside, she takes Jef to one of the most romantic spots in the city - the London Eye, a gigantic Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames River. But Emily makes it her personal mission at the cocktail party to find out which guys knew about the offensive comment and why they didn't warn her earlier about the insulting bachelor. Do any of these men have her back? She needs to find out and fast, as the group travels to Croatia next, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 11 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

For her first one-on-one date of the week, Emily and Sean jump onto one of the iconic double-decker buses to tour the city. They share a romantic kiss at Buckingham Palace where Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, exchanged their public kisses as man and wife. Later that night, the couple share a private dinner locked inside the Tower of London. Emily seems smitten with her date, but will Sean be able to unlock her heart and get the rose?

The next morning eight lucky bachelors meet Emily at Stratford-upon-Avon on a group date. Some of men embrace the opportunity to become thespians for the day, acting in scenes from Shakepeare's famous "Romeo and Juliet." Emily hopes they all have a blast, since part of being a parent is learning to go with the flow. A confident Ryan relishes playing Romeo and having the opportunity to kiss Emily for the first time. Arie is terrified when he discovers he must dress like a woman to portray the nurse. Kalon is so fixated on his performance, he shoos Emily away so he can get more rehearsal time. The live audience that gathers gets a lot of laughs as the men perform their scenes with Emily playing Juliet, but Ryan's kiss as Romeo rocks the rest of the guys to their core.

That night, when the group go to a local pub to celebrate their "reviews," a fun time turns into a debacle. A brave bachelor tells Emily about an insulting remark one man made about her daughter and it becomes public knowledge. She confronts the thoughtless guy. Disheartened that any of her suitors would say such a horrible thing and discouraged that none of the other men stand by her in the confrontation, Emily makes some startling decisions.

Attempting to put the situation behind her, Emily tries to teach Jef the proper English way to have afternoon tea, but when the etiquette class becomes too much, they run to a local pub and then to the London Eye - one of the city's iconic landmarks and symbol of modern Britain. Will Jef finally make his move and kiss Emily, or will he fail to seize the moment?

At the dramatic cocktail party, Emily is totally focused on grilling the men. Who knew about the disrespectful comment and why did no one alert her earlier about the boorish bachelor who made it? Arie, in particular, is put on the hot seat. Where is the man she can look to as a husband and a stepfather to her daughter? She is beginning to wonder if any of these guys can fill the bill. After the rose ceremony, eight men remain to travel onto one of Europe's most beautiful countries: Croatia.

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "The Bachelorette" is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers. "The Bachelorette" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with stereo sound. A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Even though we arrived in jolly ol’ England, things were less jolly as than usual as Emily was feeling a bit under the weather. But being the trouper that she is, she gutted it out and soldiered on. Her voice, on the other hand, did not. So with a raspy voice and a bit of a cold, Emily began her dates in one of my favorite cities in the world: London. I always love the beginning of episodes in these different cities around the world; we welcome the contestants in some of the coolest places. This week we pretty much had Trafalgar Square to ourselves at about 7:00 in the morning, just as the sun was hitting Big Ben down the street. It was a very impressive scene.

Sean got the first one-on-one date with Emily and she was very much looking forward to it. Sean’s stock really started rising on the group date with Emily’s friends at the park in Charlotte but she was ready for some one-on-one time to see if he was for real. As you saw, it couldn’t have gone much better. They have so much in common, their chemistry is great and it already feels like they’ve been dating for months. Sean taking the stage at “Speaker’s Corner” was very cool. It was definitely one of those moments that you remember as you walk away from this experience. As if the day portion of the date wasn’t memorable enough, they then had a private dinner in the Tower of London, which is one of those places that I always find a reason to stop by when I’m in London.

While Sean and Emily were enjoying the rise of their relationship, Kalon was back home beginning his slide. And his performance on the William Shakespeare group date didn’t help stop that dive. The date was meant to be fun and prove to Emily that these guys can let their guard down and show a softer side that she’ll be looking for in a father figure for Ricki. Kalon took his role very seriously, but maybe a little too seriously for Emily’s taste. Emily gave him the benefit of the doubt when he was so rude to her at a prior cocktail party, but when he rudely ushered her away during his rehearsal, she was pretty much done with him. What Emily didn’t know is that Kalon had referred to her daughter Ricki as “baggage.” She found this out that night when Doug sat her down and gave her the news. I know Emily says she wished the guys had told her earlier, but I’d be interested to hear your thoughts. Did Doug do the right thing, and do you feel he really told her with pure and good intentions?

Once Emily learned the truth, it was all she could do to contain herself. As she said, “I want to go out and rip his limbs off and beat him with them.” My favorite line was right before she went out to face Kalon, she said, “I wanna go West Virginia hood-rat backwoods on his ass.” Now, I have no idea what that means, but it doesn’t sound pleasant. One of the things I admire about Emily is she has no problem handling her own business. She wanted to go out and face Kalon herself in front of everybody and that’s exactly what she did. There’s so much I loved about this confrontation. In short, Emily absolutely handed Kalon his own head on a platter. She began by throwing his arrogant condescending line about letting her finish right back in his face. But the icing on the cake was Emily going West Virginia hood-rat on his ass and telling him to get the “F” out.

The funny thing is later that night when Emily and I talked she felt a little bad about how mad she got and the language she used. I told her she had no idea how impressive that display was and how amazed the guys were by her tenacity. What the guys weren’t expecting though, is how upset Emily was at them for not stepping up and defending her.

Emily’s final date this week was with Jef. He has intrigued her from the start, but she really needed him to step up and show her more on this date. The two of them always have great conversation but the chemistry and passion between them has been lacking. Emily told me later she thought for sure that when they paused at the top of the London Eye that he would go in for the first kiss but once again, he didn’t. Finally at the very end of their date they shared their first kiss, and now the plot thickens as another man has stepped up among the favorites.

One last person we have to mention this week is Ryan. No doubt many of you will be talking about him this week. Emily seemed to have his number and have him all figured out, but damn if she isn’t falling prey to his charms. There’s definitely a side to her that likes the bad boy and it appears he might fit that bill. Ryan has been very generous about giving us bits of wisdom, and this week was no different. So, as we say farewell to Alejandro and London and head off to Croatia I leave you with my favorite Ryan-ism of the week: “When a girl tells you you’re trouble and she smiles when she says it, I think sometimes she wants to get in trouble.”

Until next week, send me your thoughts @chrisbharrison on Twitter and stop by www.thebachelor.tv for tons of exclusive blogs and deleted scenes.

EMILY TAKES HER FUTURE IN HER OWN HANDS, AS SHE MAKES BACHELORETTE HISTORY WITH HER ROSE SELECTIONS, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 806" - The medieval town of Dubrovnik supplies the beauty, and Emily and the remaining eight men provide the fireworks as the romantic world tour continues. The bachelors are hoping that Emily finally will see through Ryan's bold faŤade when they go on a one-on-one date. Arie decides to break the rules and risks sneaking out of the guys' suite to see Emily, but what kind of reception will he get? A group date starts with a special sneak peek screening of the new DisneyĄPixar film "Brave," but the guys find out that they need to compete for Emily's attention by dressing in kilts and performing in their own version of the Highland Games, just like in the movie. Finally at the rose ceremony, Emily continues to make bold moves to ensure her future happiness and also makes Bachelorette history, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 18 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Although sad to be without her daughter for the first time during this journey, Emily is looking forward to putting the drama of last week behind her and enjoying this magnificent city with her guys. As the men arrive at their suite at the Radisson Blue Resort and Spa, Emily delivers the first date card herself, inviting Travis to "look for love beyond the walls." The couple explore old town - buying souvenirs, walking the ramparts of the walled city and dancing to local music. Later that evening, at a romantic dinner spot in an ancient fort, Travis opens up about the broken engagement in his past. Will his touching story heat things up with Emily or will he be sent home without a rose?

The next day, six men meet Emily in old town Dubrovnik, where she takes them to a breathtaking historic theater. There they are treated to a VIP sneak peek of DisneyĄPixar's highly anticipated new film "Brave" (in theaters June 22). The men had better be paying attention because afterwards, mimicking the movie, they will be asked to dress in kilts and compete in their own Highland Games. The bachelors fire arrows, throw logs and test each other's strength. Although one bachelor dominates the competition, another wins over Emily with his persistence in the face of defeat. The after party finds one handsome man taking Emily on an intimate walk and talk in the streets of Dubrovnik, while another brave suitor offers the Bachelorette his heart.

Ryan is raring to go on his one-on-one date with Emily. She has her own doubts about this charismatic charmer, but wants to keep an open mind. After a romantic drive up the Adriatic coast, stopping to take photos, meet the locals and even harvest oysters, they return to town for an intimate dinner, and Ryan lays out all the qualities he is looking for in a wife. Does Emily fit the bill? This smooth-talking bachelor won't take "no" for an answer, but will this confident suitor be able to sell Emily on his vision on their future life together?

And later that night, Arie can't resist slinking out of the hotel to pay Emily a visit. She invites him in and after he kisses her goodnight, he realizes he is falling in love.

Some of the more anxious men use the cocktail party to plead their cases, as one bachelor reveals his vulnerable side while another one assures Emily that he would be her best choice. Emily remains conflicted over which men should receive roses and walks out of the room with the final rose in her hand. How she resolves the problem makes Bachelorette history. The hometown dates loom ahead as the six remaining men and Emily toast to their next spectacular destination: Prague.

After the fireworks and “F” bombs in London, we headed off to the exotic city of Dubrovnik, Croatia. We have had the incredible opportunity to go to some amazing places over the years but the locations we visit over the next couple weeks really blew me away. Emily’s apartment was in the old town district of Dubrovnik. Being there is like stepping back in time.

You might have noticed Emily walking up some steps to get to her place. Well the truth is it was more than just “some” steps. Emily’s apartment was up a hill and the only way to get up there was climbing hundreds of steps, but once you got up that high, the view over the Adriatic sea was well worth it.

Emily was nice enough to help me out with my hosting duties and delivered the first date card to Travis. I’m sure some of you might be confused that after what seemed like a great date Emily suddenly sent Travis home. Travis is a great guy and he and Emily had a great relationship but there was no chemistry, passion, or romance between them. I have to give it to Emily for stepping up and doing the right thing and sending him home on the date.

The easy thing to do would have been just to give him the rose, continue the easy friendship, and send him home at a future rose ceremony. But instead, she’s continued to follow her heart and make the tough decisions.

One last note about Travis’ date: Many of us on the crew tried the balancing stone that sits on the side of a building in old town. A few of us were able to pull off the tradition and balance while taking off a jacket or shirt. Names will not be given to protect the not-so-innocent.

The group date started at an amazing theatre in Old Town.[On a quick side-note, I took my kids to the world premiere of Brave last night and although I thought it was incredibly disrespectful to hold an event on Monday night while The Bachelorette was on, the movie is incredible and I highly recommend it, especially if you have kids. The highland games competition was fantastic.]

The group of guys on the date was great so there wasn’t any drama and everybody was able to have a good time. The only thing that made that date tough for the guys was how cold it got and those kilts weren’t as warm as they look.

The party that night was pretty interesting. Arie was feeling a little defensive as he hadn’t had a lot of time with Emily, and in London, Emily was a little upset at him for not speaking up about Kalon. They seemed to quickly get past this and Arie used the old “hey, look in the store window” trick to steal a kiss from Emily.

Jef continued to rise after his amazing date in London. How about the line he delivered telling Emily “you give me the type of feeling that people write about.” Come on, how do you not fall for that?

Ryan got the final one-on-one date, for good reason, and contrary to his belief, it’s not because he’s god’s gift to the world. Emily definitely had feelings for Ryan but she wanted another date to really put their relationship to the test. There’s so many things that are wrong with their relationship, but Emily does like the bad boy a bit and is attracted to him. Ryan has no idea how easily he could have gotten a rose and stayed had he not continuously shot himself in the foot. Repeatedly calling Emily a trophy wife didn’t help but the “list” of qualities he gave her really pushed her over the edge. Emily has no poker face and if you looked at her when he was reading that list you saw it was over right then and there.

I do have to give Ryan credit because even after Emily dumped him he continued to fight and almost convinced her she was wrong. Ryan’s exit speech was very interesting. As you saw, he had a specific message that he wanted everybody to hear. Well, we left it in, in its entirety. Now, you can be the judge on what kind of person he is. Arie might have delivered the best line this week when he said if Ryan is the next Bachelor then the Bachelorette is a mirror.

The cocktail party was at an old house that sat right across the street from the harbor. At the party, Emily and Doug had one of the most awkward moments of the season. It’s not good when a woman has to physically lift up your arm to put it around her. As far as Emily is concerned Doug is taking his nickname, “humble Doug,” a little too literally. She’s hoping and praying the guy will just lighten up a little bit and show a more everyday side. Emily’s body language during their conversation was very telling. If you look back at it you’ll see Emily leaning as far away from him as she possibly could. She’s never like that with the other guys she’s really into. The problem is she likes a lot of things about Doug and is hoping with a little time he can step it up a bit.

The rose ceremony put the icing on what was already a crazy week. For the first time ever, our Bachelorette sent both guys home from the one-on-one dates. Then in the middle of the rose ceremony Emily decided she really didn’t want to send anybody else home.

Again, I have to give it to the girl. She goes with her gut and so far it’s guided her very well. Doug and John were on the chopping block but as sure as she was about saying goodbye to Travis and Ryan she wasn’t convinced it was time to say goodbye to either of those guys. So Emily came out to see me as I was waiting just outside the door, ready to come in and deliver the line that would let the world know that after one rose is taken away from two roses, there’s only one rose left. Having gone through this with Emily, I know she wasn’t just doing this to delay the inevitable so the decision to let her keep everybody at the rose ceremony was an easy one.

We head off to another incredibly historic location next week in Prague.

The city was amazing in and of itself but what takes place in Prague and the drama it leads to at the rose ceremony will be what we’re all talking about next week. It’s no secret that these guys have fallen for Emily and she has started falling for more than one man. This can only lead to more intense drama in the weeks to come, as hearts will be broken. There have also been many tabloid stories about one of our producers having dated Arie and how that affected Emily. Next week we will deal with this issue and you will get the complete story, and more importantly, the truth!

Until then you can find all things Bachelorette at our website and you can always find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison.

EMILY TAKES THE FINAL SIX MEN ON A SPECTACULAR TRIP TO PRAGUE, AS THE CRUCIAL HOMETOWN DATES LOOM, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

The Truth is Revealed About Arie's Past Relationship with One of the Show's Producers

"Episode 807" - The pressure mounts as Emily must determine which four men will have the opportunity to take her home to meet their families. Prague, the picturesque capital of the Czech Republic will serve as the backdrop for Emily's most important decision yet. However, there is something that has been weighing on Emily's mind a lot lately about Arie, and she aims to get it straightened out once and for all: what exactly happened between this handsome race car driver and one of the show's producers? The only rose up for grabs this week will be on the group date, and that man will be guaranteed a hometown visit, which only ratchets up the drama. How far will desperate bachelors go to make their fantasy come true? Chris is on the verge of a breakdown by rose ceremony time, but Emily is confident who the final four should be, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 25 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Once the men arrive at the beautiful Aria Hotel, a thrilled Arie learns that he will get the first date. Emily and Arie take a romantic excursion through Prague, but all the while, he is trying to gather the courage to tell her he is in love with her. But during this day, Emily, who had learned from her own producer that she had a brief romantic relationship with Arie some years ago, is determined to find out why this bachelor is holding back that secret from her. What else might he be hiding? A disturbed Emily tries to get to the heart of the matter at lunch, but Arie avoids the obvious clues she throws out to entice him to discuss the unusual situation. Will there be an honest heart-to-heart conversation between the three people in this drama? And how will that affect Emily's decision about giving him a hometown date? That night, when the couple dines aboard a riverboat on the Vltava River, the love-struck bachelor opens his heart and lets Emily know how he feels, but does Emily feel the same way toward him now?

Emily joins John at the famous Lennon wall, which displays an ever-changing presentation of John Lennon-inspired graffiti, serving as symbol of peace and love. The two enjoy adding their personal touches to the iconic wall, but Emily is concerned that John seems unable to open up to her emotionally. At last, John explains to her the reason for his tough demeanor. Will Emily sympathize with him and will they finally bond, or is it too little, too late for the handsome suitor?

When the group date card arrives, Chris is crushed when he learns that he will be joining two other bachelors on the date. Despite his visible anguish, it is actually another more impulsive man from this group who will slip out of the hotel and look for Emily on the quiet Prague streets. After anxiously searching, the desperate suitor finds Emily and they share a sexy late-night rendezvous.

Despite a gorgeous setting at a majestic castle in the hills outside Prague, Emily's plans for a romantic group date outing go awry when one man's reticent behavior toward her turns awkward. Will his panicky attempts to try and turn up the passion succeed, or will there be another decisive move on Emily's part? Later that night, with a rose and a hometown date on the line, tensions rise as the men vie for her attention. One man ardently romances her, but Chris spends his time chastising Emily for not giving him a one-on-one date. Emily finally gives the rose to the bachelor who most impressed her.

A suddenly flirtatious Jef pulls the right strings when he and Emily visit a marionette shop and then a historic library, where they use the marionettes to sweetly re-enact their dating history. Although Emily finds that her feelings are growing for the funny man, she now needs to figure out if she is falling in love with more than one bachelor. The men proceed to the cocktail party, hoping to have one last conversation with Emily before she decides who will get a hometown date. Chris especially wants to apologize for his ungallant behavior on the group date. Unfortunately, Chris Harrison informs them that there will be no party. Emily already knows who the lucky guys will be.

In the most dramatic rose ceremony so far this season, Chris, on the verge of a breakdown, does something drastic to try and save himself. After the Bachelorette announces her decision, it is time for the four very happy remaining men to return to the States and introduce Emily to their families, continuing their quest to win her heart.

The six remaining men are:Arie, 30, a race car driver from Scottsdale, AZChris, 25, a corporate sales director from Chicago, ILDoug, 33, a charity director/realtor from Seattle, WAJef, 27, an entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UTJohn "Wolf," 30, a data destruction specialist from St. Louis, MOSean, 28, an insurance agent from Dallas, TX

This was my first time to visit the historic city of Prague. Prague is one of those places I had heard so much about and I was sure that there was no way it could live up to all the hype. Amazingly, it not only lived up to the hype, it far exceeded it — and it quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. Between the history, the beauty, the culture and the people, the city has a lot to offer no matter how old you are. We shot the opening scene at the Royal Palace and Church that sits at the top of a hill overlooking all of Prague. We didn’t shut the square down, but we were fortunate while shooting that morning the streets were virtually empty. The best part was right in the middle of shooting we were treated to a private performance of the changing of the guards. I was staying with the guys at this cool little rock and roll hotel called Aria, while Emily stayed at another hotel just around the corner from us.

Arie got the first date and they spent the day strolling around old town Prague. One of the things I enjoyed the most was wandering the streets and eating food from the many street vendors, but hot wine was not high on the list for me. I want to talk a little bit about the Arie situation and his relationship with our producer Cassie. I feel like we handled this situation well. Was the story big enough that it needed to be touched on? Yes. But was it a huge scandal? No. So I think we did a good job of showing you the truth about what happened and how it absolutely didn’t affect Emily and Arie’s relationship whatsoever. Later that night during the date, Arie was the first man to tell Emily he’s in love with her and by the look on her face, she was happy to hear it. The fireworks display over the Charles Bridge was one of the most incredible backdrops we’ve used to light up the sky around the world. Fireworks — they’ve kind of become a tradition for us.

John got the second one-on-one date and they too took to the streets of Prague. As I said, this city has so much to offer and I love that you never have to get in a car to enjoy any of it. There’s something special about “walking” cities like this. Their first stop was the Lennon wall, which was actually very close to our hotel. I visited the wall often, as it was ever-changing and very cool to see at different times of the day. In fact, I was there right before John and Emily arrived and I wrote them a little note in a heart that said, “Take a moment and say your goodbyes,” and signed it “Chris Harrison.” We didn’t show this, but Emily and John stumbled upon my little note and got a good laugh when they read it together. John asked if that was Emily’s way of letting him go? Little did I know at the time it was only foreshadowing what was to come for “Wolf.” The lock fence is only about a hundred yards away from the Lennon wall and is a great place for all couples to lock in their relationships. The overall date was fun but you could tell that Emily’s relationship was just moving slower with him than with the other guys.

After John’s date, Sean took it upon himself to chase Emily down as she made her way back to her hotel around the corner from ours. It was a bold move and it worked out very well. Emily loved his moxie and obviously enjoyed spending some time with a guy she seems to like more and more every time they spend time together. Sean was on the group date along with Chris and Doug, at least for a little while. Doug has been obviously slowly drowning for weeks now with Emily. He just couldn’t show her what he claims he was feeling for her. Well, that was true until Emily was in the middle of breaking up with him and he decided that this was the perfect moment to go in for a kiss…? This really summed up their relationship. Emily and Doug were just never on the same page. I think he said it best when he told us his “girl radar is broken.” As far as Emily was concerned, that seemed to be the case. The date then turned into an awkward two-on-one date with Sean and Chris. Obviously, after the night before, Sean was a sure bet to get the rose but Chris had no idea and really took it personally that he didn’t get it. He wasn’t proud of how he reacted that night and assumed he had just sunk his chances of getting a hometown date.

Jef’s date was very simple but amazing at the same time. The two of them bought marionettes and made their way to an old historic library in Prague. The scene the two of them acted out was very interesting. It’s like they were able to say everything they ever wanted to say to each other by talking through these marionettes. This brings up a very good question: If someone says they love you through a puppet, does it really count? I ask because after that Jef would only tell Emily to her face that he really liked her. Either way, I think Emily took it to heart, and has taken Jef into her heart as well.

The rose ceremony was held at this old house/castle up on the border of the Czech Republic and Austria. The history of this country and this particular house, which had been occupied during the war, was incredible, but it was also incredibly cold. Actually, that’s not quite accurate: It wasn’t cold — it was downright freezing. Once again I have to give Emily props for showing up in a skimpy dress, and she never complained once about how insanely cold it was. Maybe she didn’t have time to complain because I was doing it enough for both of us and I was in a suit and tie and actually had socks and shoes on. The woman is a trooper and true southerner who doesn’t mind a little pain to look good.

Emily made the rules this week and decided she didn’t need a cocktail party. No word yet on if the fact it was freezing helped her make up her mind quickly! Whatever the reason was, Chris was completely freaking out. Sometimes, like last week, there’s not room for me to actually stand in the room during the rose ceremony but this week, I was. I was watching Chris closely because he was breathing heavily, shaking, and swaying back and forth. At one point I thought the poor guy was going to pass out. Then he broke the silence and asked to talk to Emily. I stayed in the room with the guys while Emily and Chris went and talked. All night John was very confident he was getting the rose. When Emily and Chris left the room he still had a smile on his face and was joking with the guys about Chris and how nervous he was. He was shocked when Emily came back in and gave him the boot. On a positive note this is the farthest a guy named after an animal has ever made it on our show. Congratulations, “Wolf.”

These rose ceremonies are getting tougher and tougher on Emily, and as you saw, emotions are at an all time high in the coming weeks. Next week we make our way back home to the good ol’ USA for hometown dates. This is always one of my favorite episodes as it is always a pivotal point and I love seeing everybody’s families. Thanks for watching this season and once again making this show a success. As always you can find me via Twitter @chrisbharrison and you can find all things Bachelorette at our web site www.thebachelor.tv.

EMILY RETURNS TO THE U.S. TO JOIN THE FOUR REMAINING BACHELORS IN THEIR HOMETOWNS, BUT SHE IS FALLING IN LOVE WITH MORE THAN ONE MAN,AND POTENTIAL DISASTER LURKS BETWEEN EMILY AND SOME OF THE FAMILIES,ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 808" - The stakes are high as Emily returns from her exciting and emotionally charged journey around the world to travel across the country to visit Arie, Chris, Jef and Sean in their hometowns. She has shown a spirit and resilience that has surprised her suitors, but she will be severely tested by some of the families as she tries to figure out if she can be in love with more than one man. Are all of these bachelors ready for marriage and to be dads? Emily will find out from the people that know them the best, as she moves closer to making her own fairytale come true, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JULY 2 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

After a much-needed reunion with her daughter, Ricki, Emily starts her hometown adventures on the bustling streets of Chicago, where Chris is located. He takes her on a walking tour of the city and for a taste of his family's heritage at a local Polish restaurant. The conversation turns serious as Chris once again apologizes for his childish behavior on their last group date. Now with the air cleared, it seems smooth sailing from here. Emily feels instantly comfortable with Chris' tight knit family, but they are worried he will end up brokenhearted. Will Chris take a giant leap of faith and share the depth of his true feelings for her? The celebration is just getting started as his extended family shows up for some traditional Polish festivities.

Then it's on to St. George, Utah, to visit Jef, the cool, laid-back entrepreneur. Arriving at his family ranch, Emily is caught off guard not only by the beauty of this desert paradise, but by Jef's country boy appeal to match his more sophisticated side. The couple enjoys an afternoon together, shooting targets and touring the ranch. Emily's early confidence fades as she nervously meets Jef's siblings, knowing that they have rejected his past girlfriends. His older brother hints that she might be the kind of woman to motivate this on-the-go bachelor to settle down. But even if his brothers and sisters warm up to her, do they think she is the right fit for their family? Jef has one more surprise for Emily - and it's one of the most romantic hometown moments in Bachelorette history. But will it be enough to seal the deal for the next rose?

Emily goes for a real change of pace when she meets Arie, the professional race car driver, at an Arizona racetrack. When he arrives in a racecar, Emily is up for the challenge of riding with him. The couple's breathtaking spin around the track, leaves Emily happy and exhilarated. But Arie is very anxious about the potential culture clash between her and his very European family - especially his skeptical mother. He is right to worry. As if she weren't already uncomfortable, Emily feels completely excluded when Arie's family begins speaking Dutch in front on her. Will a heart-to-heart talk between the Bachelorette and Arie's mother save this hometown date from turning into a disaster?

Finally, Emily journeys to Dallas, the home of the tall, handsome bachelor Sean, who seems to be everything she has always wanted in a husband. As they spend the morning picnicking in the park, he explains about his last failed relationship and reveals that he has vowed never to become serious with another woman unless he was going to spend his life with her. Emily is very impressed with Sean's honesty, but she is in for a rude awakening. He reveals a painfully embarrassing secret once he brings her to his parent's home. Is this the end for Emily's supposedly perfect guy?

Emily's feelings have deepened for all four bachelors, so when she returns to Los Angeles for the rose ceremony, she is faced with the impossible decision to let one man go. However, she sadly does say good-bye to one stunned and heartbroken bachelor. The Bachelorette and final three men get ready to leave for their next exotic destination -- Curacao - where Emily will need to face the dilemma of the overnight dates.

The four remaining men are:Arie, 30, a race car driver from Scottsdale, AZChris, 25, a corporate sales director from Chicago, ILJef, 27, an entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UTSean, 28, an insurance agent from Dallas, TX

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "The Bachelorette" is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers. "The Bachelorette" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with stereo sound. This program carries a TV-PG,L parental guideline.

I hope by now you’ve heard the great news that the finale for this season will be a three-hour event — including the live After the Final Rose special — airing Sunday, July 22nd. The next day, Monday July 23rd will be the premiere of Bachelor Pad 3. We’re in production on Pad right now and it’s amazing. But before we jump too far forward let’s talk about the hometown dates and how Emily is holding up as we head down the home stretch here. After some incredible travel around the world we were all happy to be back in the good ol’ USA. The first stop on the hometown dates was with Chris in Chicago. The minute you saw Chris and Emily together you could tell there was just something a little off about them and their usual chemistry. Is it just me or did Chris’ dad kind of accidentally set his son up for the fall by telling him Emily said she was falling in love with Chris, when it turns out she never really said anything close to that? Chris is twenty-five years young. Now, that’s only a year younger than Emily but they are really in different places in their life. It didn’t really seem in the end that Chris is ready to provide what Emily is looking for, especially when you stack him up against the three other men remaining.

After Chicago, Emily flew over to St George, Utah to see Jef and his family. Emily summed this scene up best when she said who knew that Jef (and his skinny jeans) has so much country in him? Unlike with Chris, the chemistry here was amazing. It’s funny to see how nervous Emily gets around Jef and how much she really wants to impress him. Jef’s letter was beyond romantic and it really blew Emily away. To be honest she was blown away by the entire visit with Jef. His family really loved her and it seemed like she really fit in. After such an easy date in Utah with Jef, Emily had a bit of a rough start in Scottsdale with Arie and his family. The date started off on the right track… sorry just have to throw in those cheesy Bachelorette lines every now and then. Arie took Emily along for a ride in his two-seat IndyCar. Emily loves the track and loves cars but knows nothing about IndyCars. She really enjoyed being there and seeing Arie in his element.

Arie’s hometown is a great example of why I love these dates so much. His family is Dutch and it took a bit for everybody to warm up and feel each other out. After a while they all did hit it off and by the end the family seemed to love Emily as much as Arie does. I really enjoyed the talk between the two Aries. Listening to Arie talk to his dad you could really see they have an amazing relationship. At the end of the date Arie made it a perfect three for three of guys that expressed their love for her. Sean broke that streak in Dallas but he was more than clear about how much he’s feeling for her right now. The more time Emily spends with Sean the more impressed she is with him. The practical jokes Sean and his family played on Emily were funny. She really fell for it when he was telling her how he lived at home.

Sean really took a huge step up after their date in London and ever since then their relationship seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. There was never a doubt in my mind that Sean, Jef and Arie would be her final three guys. She’s some ways she’s actually falling for all three of these guys right now and that’s what led to a very serious deliberation and rose ceremony. By the time I met Emily for deliberation at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills she wasn’t herself. She was on edge and it seemed the weight of the situation was finally getting to her. The fact that she has three great men falling for her and she’s feeling so much in return really made her feel like time was running out a little too fast. Not only is she worried about how she’s going to say goodbye to these guys but, she’s wondering how she could be possibly be feeling so much for so many of them. While this is an embarrassment of riches for Emily I think deep down she was hoping at this point she really would have had this figured out and she could just sail to the finish line.

The way things have gone and the way these guys have stepped up Emily has her work cut out for her in the weeks to come and there are heartbreaking decisions ahead. Emily has done a fantastic job of narrowing it down to three really good men. Now it’s a matter of trying to figure out who really fits in to her life best. I can’t remember a season where we’ve had so many of our fans divided on who they think is best for Emily. I’ve seen a lot of support for all three and I think that just shows why Emily is struggling as well. We have some great weeks ahead as we head off to the beautiful island of Curacao to wrap this up. I look forward to talking to you this week via Twitter @chrisbharrison, and you can always keep up with the latest Bachelorette news on our official website www.thebachelor.tv.

EMILY SWEEPS THE FINAL THREE MEN AWAY TO THE ROMANTIC PARADISE OF CURACAO, BUT MUST STRUGGLE WITH HER CONSCIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO AGREEING TO THE OVERNIGHT PORTION OF THE DATES, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 809" - Romantic adventures await Emily and the final three bachelors - Arie, Jef and Sean - as they travel to the tropical paradise of Curacao with the impending possibility of intimate overnight dates. There's electricity and passion in the air during of these sand and surf excursions, as Emily continues to explore what her future would be like with each one of these potential partners. She is faced with extending an invitation to each bachelor to spend the night in a "fantasy suite." However will this single mom trade her conscience in exchange for much needed private time with her bachelors? -- on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JULY 9 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Emily and Sean kick off their tropical escapade with a spectacular helicopter tour over the sun-kissed beaches of Curacao. They spend the day snorkeling and frolicking in the crystal clear waters. Later that evening Sean opens up to Emily about his feelings for her. But will he feel the pressure to speed things up and express the fact that he loves her? In the fantasy suite, it's a battle between Emily's head and heart, as she wrestles with her decision to allow her date to stay the night. Will she let her heart's desire override her judgment?

The next day, Emily treats Jef to an afternoon on the high seas, sailing aboard Curacao's luxurious Insulinde. The couple shares a romantic paddleboard ride to Klein Knip, a secluded white sand beach. That night, they reunite for a private dinner along the seashore. But despite the chemistry between them, Jef is focused on the big picture, including Emily's daughter, Ricki. Is he a natural fit to complete Emily's family? Will Emily and this smooth bachelor allow themselves to give into their passions in the "fantasy suite" or will she ask Jef not to spend the night?

On her last date, Emily surprises the handsome Arie with a sea expedition aboard a magnificent catamaran. The two drop anchor at beautiful Fuik Bay where they swim with a pod of dolphins. They spend a passionate afternoon wrapped tightly in each other's arms. Although Emily has never felt a shortage of attraction for Arie, will the day-to-day details of his life mesh with hers? At a candle-lit dinner Emily grills her potential soul mate about their future. Will she offer him the opportunity to stay overnight with her or will their intense physical connection stand in the way of a "fantasy suite" invitation?Emily has experienced a distinctly different path to love with each of these men, and it has left her feeling more vulnerable than she expected. After an emotional deliberation, she is overwhelmed by tears, shaken by the turmoil she faces over her pending decision. She moves cautiously to the rose ceremony and says a painful good-bye one bachelor. She and the final two bachelors toast to continuing their adventure on Curacao. Emily's journey to find love is quickly coming to a close. Whom will she choose - but more importantly, will they choose her back?

The three remaining men are:Arie, 30, a race car driver from Scottsdale, AZJef, 27, an entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UTSean, 28, an insurance agent from Dallas, TX

The last few weeks I’ve been racking my brain trying to remember if we’ve ever had a season with such a tight horse race coming down the stretch. In my opinion we’ve never had a Bachelor or Bachelorette feel so deeply for the final three. This goes a long way in saying what a great job Emily has done in narrowing it down to three great guys and just how solid Sean, Jef and Arie really are.

We headed off to the beautiful little island of Curacao for the final two weeks of the show. One of the great things about this show is that it takes us to places I never would have thought to go myself. Curacao is exactly that kind of place. It’s a beautiful island off the coast of Venezuela with great people and we all truly enjoyed our time there.

Sean got the first date this week. Before I talk about his emotional goodbye I have a couple notes on his date. First of all I was happy to see them not only take a helicopter ride but later they got in a hot tub. Many of you have mentioned the serious lack of both this season so I’m glad we got the numbers up a bit. Sean was the last to tell Emily he loved her and he finally did. Was it too little, too late? I don’t think so. Deep down Emily knew Sean loved her and that’s not what made her final decision. It’s just too bad that it was the week where Sean finally did say those magical words that Emily had to say goodbye. Sean is a class act inside and out. As Emily said, he just might be the perfect man. The great thing about Sean, though, is that he might be perfect but you can tell he’s not one of those guys that’s “too perfect.” In the end Emily’s relationships with Jef and Arie were just a little further along and just a little better and more intimate in her heart.

At this point for Emily there wasn’t anything wrong with any of them, and it was really an embarrassment of riches. The funny thing is, that’s not exactly what she was hoping for. When I talked to her in the deliberation room, she started off in a pretty good mood but was quickly overwhelmed with what she was going to have to do. She knew Sean was the one going home but had no idea how she could possibly say goodbye to a man that fit every criteria she was looking for. I thought it was very telling when Emily told Sean, “I wanted it to be you so bad.” By the way, am I the only person that immediately thought of Meg Ryan saying that to Tom Hanks at the end of You’ve Got Mail? (I realize I probably shouldn’t have just typed that out loud.) But I understand what Emily was saying. If Emily had a list of what she was looking for, Sean could check off every box. But love is a funny thing, and when it comes to really tough decisions this season, Emily has gone with her gut, and so far it’s been flawless. Sean’s goodbye was one of the most emotional and heartfelt I can remember in recent years. It was tough to see him so heartbroken. I think we could all tell just how much it took him to get to the point to say what he did and make himself so vulnerable. And to finally open up that way only to be crushed was very tough to watch.

The bottom line is, Emily felt a little more for both Arie and Jef at this point. At face value it might seem that these are two very different men she’s narrowed it down to, but they actually have a lot in common. They are both very good men that treat Emily with great respect and love. They both have had a special place in Emily’s heart for most of the show. As tough as this week was, and it was incredibly hard on Emily, it doesn’t compare to what’s to come in a couple weeks. I think it’s safe to say that she has love in her heart for both of these guys, and they are madly in love with her.

As you saw in the preview, this leads to probably the most emotional finale we’ve ever had. But first, next week will be the Men Tell All special where all the men you love and love to hate come back to talk about what’s been a great season. Then the following Sunday, July 22, will be the three-hour finale — including the live After the Final Rose special. Then come back on Monday July 23, for the premiere of Bachelor Pad, which I’ll be blogging for you as well. The finale of this season will be an event you don’t want to miss. I’ll see you next week as I grill the guys about their love of Emily to their unfortunate choice in tank tops. Until then, you can find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison and you can find lots of extras at www.thebachelor.tv.

EMILY FACES THE MEN SHE REJECTED, AS 17 JILTED BACHELORS CONFRONT HERON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE: THE MEN TELL ALL," MONDAY, JULY 16

Get a Sneak Peek at the Explosive, Upcoming Third Season of "Bachelor Pad"

"The Men Tell All" - It's an exciting, unpredictable reunion viewers won't want to miss, as the most memorable bachelors from this season - including Sean, Chris, Kalon, Ryan, Doug, John "Wolf," Tony and Travis - return to confront each other and Emily one last time on national television to dish the dirt and tell their side of the story. Tensions flare as the guys face off about one of the most disliked bachelors this season -- Ryan. And one of the most controversial men, Kalon, takes the hot seat and gets a severe dressing down by the rest of the bachelors over his behavior. Sean, a devastated fan-favorite, also takes the hot seat, revealing how he handled his broken heart. Emily and Chris Harrison look back at some of the unforgettable moments of the season, as well as some unseen gems. A special preview of the third season of "Bachelor Pad" will also be presented, on "The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All," MONDAY, JULY 16 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Sparks will fly when the men challenge Ryan, whose arrogance irritated the other bachelors, when he tries to explain his behavior. Many of the guys were threatened by his relationship with Emily, and they definitely didn't think he was there for "the right reasons."

And what does Kalon have to say about his devastating comment, calling Emily's daughter, Ricki, "baggage" and the firestorm it caused? When he takes the hot seat, the men just rip into him, accusing him of being there for the spotlight and the glamour. The war of words boils over as Kalon tries to justify his actions.

A dejected Sean seeks closure, disclosing that he has "never had a broken heart" until now with Emily. Not only did he truly fall in love, but still has strong feelings for her. He debated whether he should come back and try to convince her that she made a mistake. In the end, he was grateful for what Emily did give him. She showed him what he wanted out of life.

Chris, who made it to the final four, shares his devastation at being sent home. He loved Emily so much that he was totally blindsided about how much it hurt him. He also reveals what falling in love with her really meant to him.

Then it's Emily's turn to confront the men. She wants to make sure Sean knows that their parting was very tough on her as well, and that their relationship was totally real to her. What does she thank Doug for, and what huge regret does she have about the group date in London? And in one more bombshell, she lets Kalon know in no uncertain terms what she thinks of him.

It's the bachelors as you've never seen them before! The special also includes a sneak peek of the Season Finale and the final two bachelors, Arie and Jef, vying for Emily's heart and the final rose.

Welcome to my tell-all about the Men Tell All. We are less than one week away from the incredible finale of Emily’s season. If you didn’t catch it the few times I mentioned it during the special, Emily’s finale is this Sunday, July 22! If you just missed that mention then it is my hope that you will see it when I mention it again at the end of this blog. The MTA is always an interesting show but for some reason this season I really wasn’t sure what I was going to get. It didn’t take long to realize it was going to be a good show.

The first thing that became very evident was the crowd’s response to Sean. They went nuts every time I mentioned his name. We started talking a little bit about Kalon and then I brought him down to the hot seat. Either Kalon is just too proud to admit that he was wrong and was incredibly rude and disrespectful, or he really just doesn’t have a clue. I might be leaning towards the latter, unfortunately. The more he talked the more he really didn’t seem to see anything wrong with how he acted towards Emily or the other guys. The best part about Kalon is the more he talked, the deeper he dug his own grave. He just can’t help himself. The guys were more than willing to remind him how he acted and didn’t let him off the hook. You’ll be seeing a lot more of Kalon starting next week as he moves into Bachelor Pad.

Ryan is a different story. He might be a “bad boy,” but he’s definitely not a bad guy. I find him fascinating and could’ve talked to him for hours. The things this guy says and the things he conjures up in his head just amaze and baffle me, but in an entertaining way. He is a smooth-talking, over-confident guy, but he’s in on the joke so it makes it funny and not so annoying. I will still stand by my statement, putting all at ease, in saying Ryan will not be the next Bachelor, but I’d love to see that guy in Bachelor Pad. (Next year, Ryan?) I do love how embarrassed Emily gets when she admits that she fell for this guy. It was wild to listen to her talk at the beginning of the season about how full of it he was, and how he’s never going to get to her, only to have her end up falling for his charms — for a little while anyway.

I was really surprised to see how emotional both Chris and Sean were. Both men admitted they fell head over heels in love with Emily and that they were both heartbroken. The one thing that really struck me, though, is neither one had any resentment for Emily. In fact, they both were grateful to her for the experience they had. I think this speaks volumes about the kind of woman Emily is and how she conducted herself during this show. These two proud guys that laid it all on the line for Emily could only thank her and say nice things about her. I was especially impressed with Sean. I was glad all of you got to hear how intelligent and thoughtful he is. He is very much in touch with his emotions and isn’t afraid to share that.

Emily then came out and faced the guys for the first time since sending them home. One thing that you didn’t get to see was when Emily first sat down, the two of us had some fun joking about all the tabloid reports about us being together. Hysterical. I wasn’t expecting Emily to come after Kalon again like she did, but obviously she doesn’t like this guy or his “bulls—.” Once again, Emily verbally handed Kalon his hat and showed him the door. Everybody in the audience loved it when she went West Virginia Hoodrat on his ass again. Kalon really needs to go find a lesser opponent, because right now on the scoreboard it’s Emily: 2, Kalon: 0.

You may have seen on Twitter that we are discussing a one-hour Best of Bachelor Bloopers special. This is true! This all came about backstage as we were discussing how much everybody loves the bloopers package we show during every MTA. Mike Fleiss, the creator of this franchise, asked me what I thought about putting together a special, and I said it’s a no-brainer. Judging by the response we got on Twitter this week, I’d say we have no choice but to make this happen. I’ll keep you posted, of course, on any and all details as they arise.

At the top of the show you got a glimpse at the new season of Bachelor Pad, which premieres next Monday, July 23. As you can see, it is unlike any season that’s come before. What you saw was just a taste of the wild ride ahead. Of all the stupid things Kalon said this season, he did sum it up best when he said, “Expect the unexpected!”

This Sunday, July 22 is the 3-hour event of the summer, the finale of The Bachelorette. As you saw, this is far from over, and a lot can and did happen in that final week. To say it’s emotional or dramatic is a gross understatement. It’s going to be an incredible two nights with the finale followed by the opening of the Pad. Have a great week and I’ll see you this Sunday. Until then you can always sound off via Twitter @chrisbharrison or reach out to Mike Fleiss, @fleissmeister.

I hope you don’t mind but since it’s been a busy 48 hours, I’m combining my blogs. I figure since there’s really no official blogging rules (yes, I checked) I could make up my own and so talking about the live Bachelorette finale and the premiere of Bachelor Pad in one blog is okay. Before we get to the beauty that is Pad I want to step back to Sunday night and put a bow on Emily’s season and our three-hour television event.

First of all, I absolutely loved the idea of doing the show live and creating what amounted to be one big nationwide viewing party. For me to be able to watch the show along with a live studio audience packed with fans was a thrill for me. To see it through their eyes was incredible and it reminded all of us at the Bachelor why we do this show and how much people really love it. The finale really spoke for itself so I’ll just give a few thoughts on what turned out to be one of the best seasons we’ve ever had.

That final week in Curacao was a wild one, not only because Emily decided she was choosing Jef, but because of how she decided to say goodbye to Arie. Arie is a great guy, and Emily clearly loved him and he loved her. What I found amazing — and I was glad we were able to discuss it on the live show — was how it all continued to play out after we finished taping. The fact that Arie was so in love he took it upon himself to fly to Charlotte to see Emily again speaks volumes about his feelings and his relationship with her. It really lets you know what these people are feeling and going through is real. Arie was incredibly sincere on the show. I think he handled himself well and expressed his emotions very well, but at the same time was very respectful to Emily and Jef.

Speaking of Jef, there’s not much to say about this couple that you couldn’t clearly see in their body language during the show. They love each other very much and are already off to an amazing start. Hearing the stories how Jef has spent so much time with Emily and Ricki, and how much he already loves that little girl, is amazing. Does this guarantee they will get married and stay together forever? Of course not. What they have is a great and beautiful start. They love each other very much, and have the beginning of what will hopefully be a long lasting relationship. I truly hope that it will be.

One more side note from the show Sunday night: Emily did make good on her bet with me and she did the running man! We shot it afterwards with the studio audience and I’ll let you know where you can find that online soon via Twitter.

Thank you again for making this season of The Bachelorette one of the most successful in history, and thank you for following us into Bachelor Pad. Please know that all of us at The Bachelor don’t take your loyalty and love for our show for granted, because we know it’s what keeps us going every year. Congrats to Emily and Jef. I wish you guys nothing but love and I look forward to hearing about the wedding plans very soon!

Now, let’s move on to the newest season of Bachelor Pad. It was great to be back to the mansion, as we weren’t there at all for Emily’s season. There were several interesting stories coming in, but one I particularly wondered about was why Michael decided to come back. Being the defending champ, he knew he had a target on his back, so I was looking forward to seeing how he would survive. So far, he’s right back where he left off, completely controlling the game.

The fans’ arrival was my favorite part of that first night. To see how wide their eyes got when they stepped out of the limo and saw the mansion was fantastic. They were so excited to be there, and that’s exactly what we were hoping for when we decided to bring fans into the Pad. Trying to talk to everybody and explain the rules was like trying to keep the attention of a bunch of children. Actually, to be more specific, it was like trying to keep the attention of a bunch of loud, drunk, half-naked children. Ed was a complete and utter wreck by this point in the night. I didn’t know whether to laugh or go drown him in the pool. Somehow Ed and the others survived the first night and made it to the first competition.

With everything so different this season, the competitions are going to be huge. The fact that Dave and the twins won completely changed the dynamic in the house. Well, that is, until Dave made the incredibly stupid mistake of opening his mouth and telling everyone his master plan. The fans could have easily and quietly taken control of the game if Dave hadn’t declared war on the alumni. The dynamic between Chris and Blakeley is interesting, and by “interesting” I mean “a little scary.” Blakeley got a little possessive over her partner, and I think that really drove him away. As you saw this won’t be the end of Chris playing musical partners.

Erica Rose and some of the others really made me laugh when they would talk about the fans as if they were third-class citizens who barely deserved to live, much less breathe the same air as the alums. Erica asked a good question to Dave and the fans: “Who are you?” Well, Erica, these are the wonderful people who have kept our show on the air for over a decade. These are the same people who have given you and everyone else in Bachelor Pad the gift of being there. So maybe instead of a pompous rant, a simple thank you and a hug would suffice.

Because of Dave’s terrible rookie mistake, fans Paige and “Swat” were the first to get booted from Bachelor Pad. That’s too bad because Swat is a good guy and deserved to stick around a little longer, and I really wanted to see Paige and Reid spend a little more time together to see what might happen. Battle lines have definitely been drawn, but as you saw this week, alliances mean very little in this house, and every rose ceremony is a free-for-all. This was just the tip of the iceberg this season, and you should prepare for a wild ride! As always, find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison and check out www.thebachelor.tv for new blogs by this season’s Bachelor Pad contestants.